Alex Pastoor has emerged as a leading candidate to coach the soon to be vacant Adelaide United coaching hot seat

Dutch coach Alex Pastoor has emerged as one of the leading men Reds chairman Piet van de Pol is likely to meet in Europe as he seeks Marco Kurz’s replacement.

ALMELO, NETHERLANDS — DECEMBER 14: coach Alex Pastoor of Sparta Rotterdam during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Heracles Almelo v Sparta at the Polman Stadium on December 14, 2017 in Almelo Netherlands (Photo by Laurens Lindhout/Soccrates/Getty Images)

• Kurz is hot coaching property

Craig Goodwin’s former Sparta Rotterdam boss is a hot candidate to coach Adelaide United.

Alex Pastoor, 52, has emerged as one of the leading men chairman Piet van de Pol is most likely to meet in Europe, sources told the Sunday Mail.

Van de Pol is understood to be in Europe now.

He has been contacted for comment.

Van der Pol last Monday met current coach Marco Kurz to tell him he would not be extending his two-year contract beyond June when it expires.

Pastoor is currently the interim coach of Austrian Bundesliga club Rheindorf Altach.

He was appointed on March 18 with the club in a relegation battle with bottom club Wacker Innsbruck.

It’s understood Pastoor would land the Reds gig without a self-appointed coaching team as Reds NPL boss Paul Pezos looks set to take up one of the assistant’s role next season.

However Pastoor does have company for the Reds No. 1 job.

Perth Glory assistant and ex Adelaide United assistant Luciano Trani has been touted as a potential coach so too has ex Red captain and former coach Mike Valkanis.

Adelaide United’s former AFC Champions League coach Luciano Trani.

Valkanis, 44, was a former assistant coach of Dutch club PEC Zwolle until December when former Melbourne City coach John van’t Ship was in charge before is contract was terminated.

Valkanis won rave reviews from former England national team coach Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson was a Melbourne City advisor in 2017 when the ex Reds captain was City’s caretaker coach.

Pastoor led Sparta Rotterdam to the second tier Dutch title in 2016 after signing Goodwin from Adelaide’s championship and Premier’s Plate winning team.

He was sacked in December 2017 before Sparta was relegated.

He was without a club until the Austrian gig.

Goodwin played 45 times under Pastoor scoring six goals and was credited with six assists in the Netherlands.

However, Pastoor is just one Dutch link to the Reds.

Dutchman Jan Poortvliet, 63, is also a candidate after Adelaide confirmed a member of its sister club Qingdao Red Lions’ coach Robin Westerman is on his way to lead the Reds community programs.

Poortvliet, 63, is a former coach of Qingdao and England’s Southampton.

Meanwhile former South Sudanese refugee and ex Adelaide City forward Valentino Yuel is soon to be announced as new A-League club Western United’s latest signing.

As revealed in last week’s 90 MINUTES column Yuel, 24, will next season join current Reds striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos at the new club.

Other South Australian’s Ryan McGowan (Dundee on loan from Bradford City) and Bradden Inman (Rochdale City) have also been targeted by the new franchise.

Follow @ValMigliaccio